


Tokens

by Bix



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012), Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away
Genre: F/M, Gen, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Pitch brings all the ladies to the yard, banned Guardians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-11
Updated: 2013-06-11
Packaged: 2017-12-14 16:47:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/839119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bix/pseuds/Bix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kinkmeme prompt: Pitch goes to the bathouse after his defeat, things happen and Jack is uncomfortable with some implications at the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tokens

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhahahha I forgot to put this up here.

"Lin? Who's the... shadowy man? He looks--" Chihiro asked quietly, eyes widening as she watched the procession of guests enter the bath house. Her question was cut off with a firm hand slapped over her mouth.

"Shhh." The older spirit hissed, pulling her back in to the light of the inn. "That's The _Nightmare King_ he's really old and has been coming here long before even _Kamajii_ was around. He may not be as powerful as he used to be but he's not someone you want to make angry. If he wants something, you get it. If he asks you a question, you answer honestly. I'll do what I can to keep you out of his way but whatever you do don't mention Santa Claus... or the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy, and especially not the Sandman or Mother Nature. Got it Sen? Even _Yubaba's_ scared of him."

Chihiro nodded, eyes wide. There had been something decidedly scary about the wraithlike spirit trailing shadows like dying embers as he crossed the bridge, something terrifying and familiar at the same time. 

\----

Pitch knows he looks awful, barely holding the shadows about him as he enters the bath house. It's more his own bruised pride and remaining ego than actual strength that keeps him from simply collapsing in an undignified heap on the way to his room. His weakness, and the unspoken rules of neutrality, are all that keep him from hissing insults back at the handful of hakutaku that titter at him about not needing to remember his name anymore when passing on their information to humanity.

He also resolutely _ignores_ the baku leering at him from across the vast steamy air of the building as he boards an elevator down to the tubs.

There were reasons he enjoyed coming here, and it was for more than the company and civil conversation it provided. The Guardians had been rather forcibly ejected for attempting to maim him on their first and only visit (It hadn't been his fault he'd decided to share a tub with a number of the child eating sorts... only that he'd orchestrated it being the one directly across from theirs. Yubaba had taken the price of the damage out of North.) and the spirits here knew far more about how to keep him alive than even he did in some situations.

It is after he has dismissed the woman who'd long since become something of his personal attendent, bless her, and sunk properly in to the soothing heat of the water that the first of what would be his string of... well wishers arrived.

News travelled fast in the spirit world after all, and the fact that he'd escaped the horde of his own Nightmares alive was reason enough for the ones who were fond of him to see to his health. They understood the necessity of his existence, and the balance he represented.

\----

The first visitors Pitch has are a pair of kappa, he doesn't know them personally but he's often enjoyed spending time with their ilk. They are polite and leave a box of tea for him that they assure him will help. Arjuna and ginseng.

They know how lonely he is, and offer him room in their home during his next visit to the area. 

"You look well, Lin." He says as the attendant brings a low table to the room of his tub. His eyes track the girl who hides in her shadow.

He knows a human child when he sees one.

\----

A group of jorogumo and a nue join him next, and they make great sport of storytelling and attempting to get Pitch to join them and a few others later in the week for drinks and he agrees.

He's not afraid of their ability to drag him underwater, they know better than to do so and he and the nue have worked together on more than one occasion to terrorize a few people. It wasn't _quite_ as satisfying as the witch hunts had been in europe but driving an Emperor to shooting at clouds was always entertainment.

Their gift of a spun silk robe joins the tea and a few other gifts on the table.

\----

The impromptu party with the spider women, a yuki-onna (that he dotes attention on as revenge against Jack), a pair of vixen and a spirit who he wasn't quite sure had known what sort of thing they'd been getting in to when they'd invited the poor girl in had gone a long way in Pitch's recovery. He hadn't caught the youngest spirit's name but he decided that she'd turn out alright in the end (neck problems, family issues and unkempt hair aside anyway.). He'd found her ability to crab walk up and down stairs quite a feat and telling her as much had gotten her to relax a bit.

It is when he is strolling through the gardens that Oiwa catches him.

She is, perhaps, one of his closest acquaintances. After all, he'd helped her out when she was just a young thing and while he's well aware she feels in his debt he's long since refused to collect on it. Theirs is a complicated relationship to say the least.

"You should have contacted me!" Her voice is sharp and angry, her grip on his arm vicelike. "Running about alone like that... _you could have been killed._ "

"No, I wouldn't have." He corrected, prying her hand off of him. "It is done, and there is nothing more I wish to speak of it."

She let out a long breath, "If that is what you wish." There was a long moment of silence as they walked. "...rumor has it a human child is working in the bath house now."

"It is more than rumor my dear. Even though she does not smell as a human to you I knew her in a moment. Her fears are most entertaining." Pitch smirks, looking at the other spirit. "You should join me tonight, if they've gotten the mess from last night and today cleaned up anyway. The girl's foolishness in inviting that one in and the resulting terror was delicious."

Oiwa giggled, a sound far too gleeful and young for her twisted features "You _didn't_!"

"Of course I did. Pushing their horror in to that riotous mess made me feel so much more alive. The child performed her part admirably as well. I only wish she hadn't run off... such an easy meal once I realized it. Enough about me though, I hear you have been busy without me! I met your protegee the other night, a delightful girl."

"I have two actually. Kayako and Sadako. Kayako came to me right after that party, all a tizzy. She and Sadako would both likely enjoy sharing a bath with us tonight... after all it isn't every night you can share the company of the Nightmare King." 

\----

Jack had heard of the Bath House, okay so he'd watched a movie about it through a window a few times but he hadn't actually thought it was real.

With Pitch gone he figured he totally deserved a trip now that he had some spending money. 

He really hadn't expected to see Pitch sitting in one of the massive tubs with what he was pretty sure were the two evil ghosts from the scariest movies Jamie had ever had him sit through and some woman with her hair falling out and a twisted eye.

It gave him a really _really_ bad feeling.


End file.
